Never Meant To Be
by LolaCherryColaGirl
Summary: It may have seemed as if Severus Snape did not care about the death of Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage, but like so much else concerning Severus Snape, it’s not as it seems. DH spoilers, etc.
1. No hope, No Love, No Glory

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or Happy Ending by Mika.

**A/N: **So I'm rereading Deathly Hallows and I'm all "Oh my goodness, there's a story right here!" when I read about Charity Burbage's death. And here it is.

**Warnings: **DH spoilers obviously, language, sexual scenes, violence, character death.

**Summary: **It may have seemed as if Severus Snape did not care about the death of Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage, but like so much else concerning Severus Snape, it's not as it seems. DH spoilers, etc.

**Never Meant To Be**

_This is the hardest story, that I've ever told, no hope or love or glory, happy ending's gone forevermore …_

"Okay!" Charity Burbage raised her voice, but in a kind manner as she waved her hands to gather her third year students around her "Step closer everybody, don't be shy. Now, who wants to plug this bad-boy in?" she cheerfully looked around at the eager, yet cautious faces of students staring at her all of them crowded around her wooden desk.

Finally Oscar Spinnet, a favourite student of Charity though she never let it show, raised his hand and thoroughly enjoyed the proud look his teacher was giving him as she reached him the thick, black cord and he fearless strode to the wall closest to the desk and looked for a socket.

Charity amusedly watched Oscar plug in it with extreme carefulness as they'd spent most of today's class learning about electricity and how dangerous it can be. Charity knew she might've scared the children that weren't muggleborn a little, but what she'd planned for the end of their lesson required electricity and some of the kids had never learned not to stick their fingers in a light socket.

Finally Oscar had pushed the cord all the way in, and was hurrying back to his space pressed up against the front of the desk, but he jumped startled on his way as a beep sound broke the excited silence of the classroom and several other students joined Oscar in the startled jumping.

However before Charity could explain the cause of The Beep, a door in the far end of the classroom was pushed open, interrupting her, and a dark figure entered the now again silent room. Several students made surprised and, especially, displeased faces at each other as Severus Snape, the dreaded Potions master, dramatically strode across the room his black robes flickering bat-like behind him.

Snape didn't find the students worthy for as much as a glare as his silky voice declared "I need to talk to you Professor Burbage."

"Well as you can see professor Snape, I'm teaching a class." Charity responded with a hint of annoyance and she raised her hands towards her group of students in case Snape didn't actually believe her. Some of the brave children snickered as a look of displeasure flickered across Snape's usually impassive face. Now he glared at them.

"So I see, but it should be finished shortly should it not? I'll sit here and wait." Snape made it sound as if he was doing everyone else present in the room a favour as he sat down on a chair behind Charity.

The students noticed Charity's fidgeting movements when she placed two pieces of bread in the toaster that Oscar had plugged in and pushed the button, and she seemed distant as she explained the use of the toaster.

Charity could constantly feel Snape's dark eyes on her back and as the two pieces of bread popped back up again, suddenly and loudly, she even gasped out loud in shock and burned her fingers on the bread. Snape's lips curled ever so slightly as he watched Charity's nervous behaviour.

"Professor are you okay?" a blonde girl asked concerned as Charity had finished the lesson, but forgotten to give out any homework.

"Yes Suzie, I'm fine. Now hurry, you don't want to be late for your next class, do you?" she asked, her cheery tone was back, but Suzie Fawcett made a face and sighed "Well I have Divination next." and Charity couldn't hold back a chuckle "I'm sure you'll do great Suzie." she patted the girls head and started packing away the toaster and everything else she'd used that lesson, Snape's presence almost forgotten.

"I guess" whined Suzie "But she _always _predicts my death." Charity didn't see Suzie's pouty expression as Oscar pulled her out of the classroom so they wouldn't be late.

Charity continued to walk around the classroom; every now and then she would bend over and pick up a crumbled together piece of parchment, carelessly tossed on the floor during the class. Snape knew she was ignoring him, but he didn't let it bother him.

"You know you should get your students to do that during detention." He suggested, that's what he did himself when some of the dunderheads he taught decided to use his precious Potions classroom as a trashcan.

Charity shrugged her shoulders, her large, purple scarf almost sliding of her, "They're just children, and they hardly ever do anything to deserve detention." She had patrolled the entire classroom and was back at her desk, close to Snape.

As she stood right there the sunlight that poured through the many windows of the room made Charity's red hair shine golden, and right now she reminded Snape so much of Lily. He sighed, earning him a wondering stare from Charity.

She was wondering. Wondering why Severus always seemed to get that far-off look in his eyes, when he stared at her for a longer period of time. She wanted it gone; his eyes didn't seem like his eyes when they were clouded by some unknown, painful memory. Or memories, she didn't know for sure.

"You know Severus, my students are going to be wondering why you keep showing up at the end of my class." she said, to pull him away from whatever he was thinking about.

"No they won't." Severus's eyes were black again and he seemed to be really seeing Charity now, his voice was confident.

"That is so typical of you!" Charity had raised her voice again and this time it was less kind "To just assume because there's a lot of muggleborns in my class, a class that happens to sympathize with muggles as does everyone who takes it, that they're stupid!"

Severus didn't seem the least bit concerned about her accusation and that only infuriated Charity even more until he said "You're the one who's assuming Charity, I only mean they won't notice because yesterday I came in during your class with 5th years and today it was the 3rd years." he actually smiled.

Charity stepped closer to Severus and finally she gave him a little smile back and she even managed to giggle as Severus's long, pale fingers gripped her hips and pulled Charity down so she straddled his lap. She dipped her head forward, her long red hair spilling out from behind her ears and hiding their faces from the world like a curtain as Severus's lips caught hers in the briefest of kisses before he placed his mouth on her neck, concentrating on the feather light kisses he was trailing across her hot skin.

As always he fought to ignore the pang of disappointment when he realised that she didn't smell like Lily had, a spice he'd never been able to pinpoint exactly. No matter how much Charity Burbage could remind him of Lily Evans, the hair, the love for muggleborns, Severus was trying to accept that she could never be Lily. It filled him with regret.

Charity was reaching inside Severus's robes, one hand playing with the buttons of his black shirt, and the other one dealing impatiently with his pants and suddenly Severus didn't care. When skin met skin, sex met sex and body met body neither past, presence nor future seemed important to any of them.

**A/N: **I know it's short, but if I put all I want to write in a oneshot, it would be, well, long. So I'm dividing it up, in what I think will be three chapters. I should warn you this is very light compared to what will come. Please, please, please review and let me know what you think, if I should even update. I would put up the rest of the story right now, but it's 4:30 AM right now and I haven't slept since Thursday. Anyways, reviews make me happy!

**X X X LolaCherryColaGirl**


	2. No Promises

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or No Promises by Bryan Rice.

**Warnings: **DH spoilers obviously, language, sexual scenes, violence, character death.

**Never Meant To Be**

_I don't wanna run away, baby you're the one I need tonight, no promises …_

Several months had passed since the amorous encounter in a Hogwarts classroom and the world of Charity Burbage had been ripped apart it seemed. Burned up and crashed down. Albus Dumbledore had died, and his death had left a horrible scar in Charity that no amount of time would ever fully heal. The loss of her mentor who she'd greatly admired and cared for left Charity broken, but from time to time she found salvation in the most unlikely arms of Severus Snape.

Their time together these days were always short, rushed and infrequent. If times had been different Charity might have wondered why Severus was always so busy and secretive, but with dark wizards roaming their everyday lives and Lord Voldemort lurking at the back of everyone's minds everyone seemed to be acting at least a little out of character. She knew she'd even changed herself; some of her cheerful spark had been lost and replaced with bitter hatred and a stronger sense of right and wrong.

But not tonight. For tonight was a moment stolen from Time and Charity was savouring it as she was lying naked in her bed, her skin kept warm by the lit fireplace in her bedroom and the memory of the bold touches of the dark man lying next to her.

Even though Charity could feel drowsiness tugging at her eyes, willing her to go to sleep she stretched her arm forward and let the tip of her finger lightly run along a deep scar standing out on the pale skin of Severus's shoulder. Charity thought back to one of their first encounters …

_Charity was wandering around in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts looking for a headache potion. It was her first year teaching there, and it'd only just begun. Madam Pomfrey was attending to several first years that had collided during one of their flying lessons, leaving her busy when Severus Snape entered, bruised and bleeding. _

_Charity had gasped loudly, and been torn between rushing to aid the man or getting Madam Pomfrey who was fixing a bleeding nose and hadn't noticed Severus yet. As Charity saw Severus calmly sit down on the nearest available bed, clutching his right shoulders with this left arm she figured it couldn't be too much of an emergency and went over to help him._

"_Hello." Charity cautiously greeted Severus, she'd heard rumours his personality wasn't exactly the friendliest "I'm Charity Burbage, the new Muggle Studies teacher, I don't believe we've properly met." she introduced herself and clumsily reached out her hand, until she noticed Severus's dark eyes sweeping across the gesture with annoyance and Charity remembered his injured arm._

"_Oh right, sorry." she pulled her arm back and asked instead "What happened to you?"_

_Severus hesitated for several seconds, before vaguely answering "There are many creatures in the Forbidden Forrest." He still hadn't even winced from pain, or called Madam Pomfrey away from her other patients and Charity was admiring him for it. _

"_Oh I see" she said worriedly "Would you like me to help you?"_

_Severus couldn't help__ scooting further back on the bed, away from her concerned tone and caring personality. He'd noticed her in the halls and at meals before, this new Muggle Studies teacher; her resemblance to Lily Evans filled him with unjust dislike of Charity Burbage. _

_Charity misunderstood his disapproving expression and quickly said "Oh no don't worry, I studied to be a healer for a year before I dropped out to become a teacher." she was no longer nervous, and gave Severus a confident smile. That too reminded him of Lily._

"_I know what I'm doing." Charity assured him before placing her hand over the one clutching his injured shoulder and prying it away. Why he just let her Severus didn't know, but having a woman smiling at and touching him this way was a temporarily joy after years of misery. _

_And if he closed his eyes it was like Lily fixing a cut on his knee after a Herbology class their second year at Hogwarts._

"_This cut is from a Thestral!" Charity realized with a gasp, there were Thestrals at Hogwarts? Her voice pulled Severus away from his pleasurable daydream and he grudgingly remarked "I know." in a way that let Charity know her observation was obvious and therefore unnecessary. _

_Charity thought Severus ungrateful and angrily left the Hospital Wing without a word as soon as his cut was healing; leaving him a scar that could've been prevented if she'd bothered to stay._

The school year after that, the famous Boy Who Lived Harry Potter attended Hogwarts for the first time and Charity felt like she hardly saw Severus that whole year. In fact they didn't have a clash again until her fourth year teaching at Hogwarts.

As Charity followed up her light caressing of Severus's scar with brief kisses, he made a somewhat appreciative noise and turned around so that he was resting on his back instead of his stomach and his dark eyes stared at her "Must you keep me awake?" he remarked, but Charity didn't answer as she instead leaned forward and kissed his neck, her hands lingering on his hips.

Truth to be told she _did_ want to keep him awake; sleeping while in Severus's company seemed like such a waste at the moment, when their time together was so scarce.

Charity's full, pink lips found his as Severus traced the curve of her naked breast with one hand, his other splayed out on the small of her back.

Reluctantly Charity broke the kiss, panting hard in need of oxygen. Severus watched her closely as her thoughts drifted up to that clash her fourth year of teaching and though her pale, blue eyes seemed blank a small smile was gracing her lips, a rarity these days. She twirled a lock of her red hair around her fingers, just like Lily had done when something was bothering her. Charity didn't seem bothered, but almost like a force of habit Severus asked "What are you thinking about?" like he would do if she'd been Lily.

"Our first kiss." Charity replied, resting her head on the bicep of Severus's arm …

_The sound of their rushed steps was echoed in the empty corridor and several portraits were following their argument intensely "How could you do that?!" Charity yelled, annoyed that__ she seemed to have some trouble keeping up with Severus's fast pace._

"_It's only fair that people know the truth." Severus had calmly replied, continuing his rushed walk, that woman was really getting on his nerves. How dare she turn up after his class and throw accusations around like she'd done._

_Charity wasn't sure where she'd gotten the courage to do that from either, but it had been necessary "But they won't understand! And you know that perfectly well, that's what makes your actions even more despicable! They're too judgemental to-" but Charity was cut off by Severus's silky voice "They're too judgemental? Miss Burbage I believe that assuming that about every parent of the students of Hogwarts makes you the judgemental one." He was mocking her. She knew it._

"_Do not twist my words Severus! You know what I meant, no matter how great a teacher Remus has been to their children, parents are going to demand him fired because you felt like you just _had _to tell the truth about him being a werewolf. You know as well as me what a wonderful person and teacher he is, and that he would never harm anyone. So why did you do it Severus?" Charity was shaking from anger and she'd stopped walking. _

_But Severus wasn't paying attention to her angry words anymore; the only thing he heard was her delicate voice saying his first name. He'd gotten used to everyone referring to him by his surname, Dumbledore not included and he had to admit it sounded quite different in a soft, female voice. _

"_Fine!" Charity's raised voice as she threw her arms into air in a surrendering gesture brought Severus back to reality "If you're not even going to answer me or try to defend yourself, I might as well go." she started walking the opposite direction of him, but stopped momentarily and turned around "But I think this was a low-blow at trying to get your hands on the position as Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher." She'd meant to leave him silenced by her nasty comment._

_She hadn't however expected him to scowl angrily at her and a second later feel his hands gripping her upper arms so hard, angry red marks was appearing on her fair skin and tears were pricking behind her eyes. His face was dark and so close to her own as he furiously hissed "Don't _ever _pretend like you know _anything_ about me again!" in a low voice. He saw fear in her eyes, and she looked just like Lily had when she'd first seen his Dark Mark. _

_And then Severus did what he'd wanted to do to Lily back then; he slid one hand from Charity's arm to her fiery red hair, tightly gripping it and pulling her head towards his own to capture her lips in a searing kiss that caused Charity to close her hands around Severus's robes, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. When he broke the kiss and walked away from her, tears were spilling from Charity's eyes down to her swollen lips._

Until the beginning of Charity's seventh year teaching at Hogwarts they didn't speak of the kiss, in fact they avoided each other altogether. But then it was as if something happened, as they kept ending up in each others company and the night Charity's mother died it was Severus she went to for comfort. He gave it to her both emotionally and physical. They never spoke of their relationship to anyone. Charity assumed that two teachers at Hogwarts dating would be frowned upon, and was fine with keeping things to herself.

Severus seemed uncomfortable with her answer to his earlier question, and she guessed it because he was actually the one who initiated their romance that day. Charity felt him shift around in bed and soon he was lying on his side instead of on his back, his Dark Mark all of the sudden more visibly to her and she unintentionally pushed herself further away from Severus. She knew he'd been a Death Eater once, but numerous teachers at Hogwarts and even Dumbledore had assured her of his loyalty when she'd first found out and she'd truly believed them.

But with the way the times were she felt almost nauseated when she saw it, and Charity turned her back towards him and closed her eyes, readying herself for sleep. Severus turned too and as they were lying there with their naked backs facing each other, it seemed as if all their differences were separating them from each other.

**A/N: **I know there isn't much plot in this chapter, but this sort of explains everything about their relationship. I hope Snape isn't too OOC, and that everyone enjoyed this. I'll try to get the last part up soon. Thanks so much for reading, and _please _review it keeps me happy.

**X X X LolaCherryColaGirl **


	3. No Change, I can't change

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Wake Up by Coheed & Cambria or Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve.

**Warnings: **DH spoilers obviously, language, sexual scenes, violence, character death.

**Never Meant To Be**

'_Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life__ …_

By the way he was breathing deep and regularly Charity could tell that Severus, lying next to her, was fast asleep, while she still lay awake. Although she'd originally turned her back to him, unwillingly repulsed by his Dark Mark, Charity shifted back to her previous position finding odd comfort in knowing Severus was still with her.

Brushing a lock of his black hair away from Severus' face, careful not to wake him up, Charity moved to run her hand down his neck, over his shoulders and down his arm, carefully avoiding his mark.

She wished it didn't kept on coming between them like this; she hated that she couldn't just bring herself to wrap her arms around him, as if she was afraid she could immediately be infected by the cruelty that had burned his beautiful, pale skin.

Suddenly Charity sat up in her bed, feeling her indignation about how things were at the moment taking over as she bolted out of bed, quickly wrapping herself in her thin bathrobe before sitting down at her desk, immediately reaching out for a piece of parchment, a quill and she unscrewed the top of an ink bottle.

Almost an hour passed before Charity began to see an ending to the editorial she planned on submitting to the Daily Prophet, defending her class, Muggleborns, Werewolves and anyone else that might be discriminated against or looked down upon in a magical society.

She had just finished her conclusion and signed with her name at the bottom of a piece of parchment, when suddenly a shadow fell over her desk and Charity could feel the warmth of two soft hands, pushing her robe down to reveal her naked shoulders. She leaned her head back to rest on Severus' abdomen.

"I'm sorry that I woke you." Charity whispered with a small smile, she loved being close to Severus like this.

Severus' fingers were lightly tickling her neck and shoulders, occasionally tracing over her collarbone "You did not wake me, but can I ask why you are writing your letters late at night as opposed to in the morning and instead of lying in bed with me?"

Charity's blushed and if it hadn't been for his sly invitation to her joining him back in her bed she would've been annoyed by his almost condescending tone, but instead she handed him all of the pages she had written "It's not a letter Severus, it's an editorial. I'm going to submit it to the Daily Prophet." Charity explained and immediately began missing his fingers quiet dance over her skin as Severus held the pages between his hands and began reading.

Severus' dark eyebrows furrowed as he read her outraged, albeit very well written, editorial that clearly expressed her justified opinions. Never the less Severus was annoyed by this and felt almost tempted to forbid Charity to have it published.

It was exactly actions like this that had made Severus, and Dumbledore when he lived as well, keep from including Charity in the Order of the Phoenix, she was too irrational and easily provoked. She could never do the work that he had done himself without giving her away, so he simply gave her back her parchment and ran his hand through her red hair, enjoying how much she looked like Lily from behind.

"Let's go back to bed." he invited and Charity smiled again; she thought it was simply Severus' distinct … 'Sltyherinness' that kept him from commenting on her editorial and eagerly followed him back to the comfort of her bed, her robe quickly ending forgotten on the floor as their bodies were soon after erotically combined and Severus had to bite his lip from calling out the name of his past love.

0o0

After she waved goodbye to Mr. Raji, the friendly greengrocer near the apartment she lived in when she wasn't at Hogwarts, Charity tightened her grip around the bag of different fruits and vegetables she had bought; Severus had time to visit her early enough for them to have dinner together for once.

Charity had just turned a corner and was walking down a narrow alley leading to her apartment building as the glow from a nonverbal spell lit up the alley and she felt her entire body turn rigid as she fell to the ground and for some reason the last details she imprinted in her mind was the way a head of lettuce and a few tomatoes were rolling down the uneven, brick road before everything turned black.

When Charity felt consciousness return to her body and her eyelids fluttered open one of the first things she saw was a rat like man, balding and with grey hair hanging lifeless down his pasty face and falling into his small, watery eyes.

Even though he seemed tense and uncomfortable with the situation Charity reached into her pocket to pull out her wand, only to find it missing. Fear flooded over her as she looked back at the small man in front of her, and her eyes dropped to his hand that looked oddly like a silver glove, clutching a wand that was pointed towards her.

Charity opened her mouth to speak, but no sounds came out, even if she felt words and screams struggling to be let free. Her hands flew to her throat, as if to feel after the reason for her problem.

"I silenced you." Peter Pettigrew explained as he saw Charity open and close her mouth, fighting to let out her fear. She couldn't help but think he looked as if he expected applause for his talent and Charity had to refuse the urge to roll her eyes, but then Peter stepped closer, a cruel smile twisting his already unfortunate features and she pressed herself further up against the wall behind her as she could smell his foul breath on her face when he whispered "We don't want anyone hearing what's going to happen now, do we?"

Widening her pale, blue eyes in panic Charity craned her neck, turning her face as far away from Peter's as she could, almost in a childish belief that if she couldn't see him, maybe he wouldn't be able to see her. Face turned or not Charity definitely heard as Peter, still whispering, said "_Crucio_."

Sliding further down the wall and ending up on the dirty, stone floor beneath her Charity writhed in unexplainable, unbearable, excruciating pain, her lips parting in silent screams as tears instinctively sprung to her eyes, descending down her cheeks and Peter looked away, almost disgusted with the sight. She was pleading for her death.

Charity managed to stretch out her arm despite of the blinding hurt, her fingers clasping around the corner of Peter's robes, noiselessly trying to beg of him to stop his torturing. Not until her body was slick with sweat from the physical exhaustion it was being put through and Charity's other hand was tearing at her hair in frustration did Peter stop the curse.

"You're going to regret the day you insulted the Dark Lord." he said, muttering a spell that left Charity's hands bound together by rough rope, digging into her wrists as she gasped for air in the aftermath of the pain still coming over her in smaller and smaller waves.

Her eyes followed Peter's small figure as he left the anonymous, empty room she was being kept in before Charity closed her eyes and gratefully fainted, eagerly welcoming the dark where she was free of awareness.

0o0

Severus despised those Muggle doorphones you had to get through to walk inside the lobby of Charity's building, they always buzzed so damn loud and instead he chose to use magic when he was sure no other Muggles were around.

Still as he stood at Charity's front door he always knocked and waited for her to let him in, and this night was no exception. When he knocked a third time and there was still no answer, Severus began to worry.

He knew how much Charity had looked forward to this evening where he had time for them to eat dinner together; he of course hadn't told her he would have to cut dinner short with a made up emergency that would need his immediate assistance, so he could be in time at the meeting at Malfoy Manor.

Feeling incredibly ridiculous Severus leaned towards the wooden door in front of him and pressed his ear against it, hoping to catch a sound of Charity busying herself in the kitchen or the unmistakable sound of running water if she was still in the shower. But the apartment seemed absolute silent and Severus decided it wasn't uncalled for that he _alohomora'ed _the lock on Charity's door and stepped inside.

Severus almost called out Charity's name as he walked inside her apartment, but instead he silently drew his wand, readying himself for unexpected visitors as he searched through her small apartment. Everything seemed to be as it always was and Severus reached the conclusion that Charity was simply running late before he sat on the edge of her couch, picking up and old copy of the _Daily Prophet _lying on her small coffee table, if she would be back soon he could entertain himself with the magical newspaper's lies and misinformed articles for a moment.

Eventually Severus couldn't possibly wait any longer for Charity to return as he would most definitely be a little late for the meeting and it was especially important for him to keep his act together tonight as he would have to hide his reason for being late from the Dark Lord, disagree with Yaxley on information from the Order and concentrate on only letting the Dark Lord into some parts of his mind as He would surely want to know if the information Severus was leaking from the Order were true.

Getting up from the couch Severus made a graceful turn and seemed to vanish out of thin air, appararating as close as possible to the Malfoy Manor. Back in Charity's now empty apartment the wind from Severus' turn made a page in the old copy of the _Prophet _flip over to reveal Charity's editorial published on the very next page …

0o0

As paranoid as anyone in these days Severus immediately drew his wand as he had sensed someone else in the dark when he'd arrived at The Malfoy Manor. Upon recognizing Yaxley Severus put his wand away and the two men made their way inside, Yaxley filling the silence with mindless chattering.

Before entering the room in which the Dark Lord was waiting Severus hesitated for just a moment to clear his head of thoughts the Dark Lord need not know about.

He didn't notice her immediately when he stepped inside as his eyes took time to adjust to the darkness that filled the room and there was many people seated around the long table. When Severus' eyes fell on the pale, frightened face of Draco Malfoy he noticed the boy was looking up and he followed his gaze.

It was lucky for Severus he was a master and hiding his emotions, because he was certainly shocked to see Charity, seemingly unconscious and revolving as if she was being suspended from the ceiling by invisible robes. His breath caught in his throat when he took the seat the Dark Lord assigned him and he tried to keep his cool through out the meeting.

Not until the Dark Lord himself turned his attention to Charity, and apparently at the same time awakening her from her magical coma, did Severus dare to look at her. His heart was beating faster with the fear that Charity would give him away, reveal their relationship.

"Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" asked Voldemort.

Frightened that Voldemort had already tortured Charity to endangering revelations Severus did not answer until after Charity had begged him to help her. She sounded so scared, like Lily had the day their friendship had come to and end and they'd realized they'd lost each other, so Severus almost gave in, but caught himself in the last moment and simply answered "Ah, yes."

The Dark Lord moved on to question Draco now and Severus tried to ignore the desperate begging in Charity's voice as she'd once again revolved to face him. He was almost relieved when Voldemort silenced her.

He listened carefully as Voldemort informed everyone around the ornate table just why Charity was here and inwardly cursed Charity for ever writing the editorial she had submitted to the _Daily Prophet. _But at the same time he felt a certain awe that Charity had managed to anger the Dark Lord as much as she had simply by expressing her opinions.

She was crying now, the tears streaming into her beautiful hair and he wondered how he long she would be humiliated like this, displayed upside down in front of people she despised so passionately.

Severus did not have long to ponder because soon after a flash of green lighted up the darkened room and Charity came crashing down on the table. It took all of his willpower not to leap away as many other Death Eaters had done.

Even now in her death, as her body was lying curled up on the table, her face hidden under the fiery red hair that had fanned out Severus could only think of Lily and if she had looked the same after the very man on his right side had taken her life.

The old, burning pain of losing Lily flared up in Severus, consumed his body when he heard Voldemort softly say "Dinner Nagini." and he watched the snake slither from the Dark Lords shoulders an onto the polished table, inching towards Charity with each second.

"No, my lord!" Severus had blurted out before he could stop himself. Not here. Not right in front of his eyes. A silence so heavy you could almost taste it fell over the room and Severus didn't have to worry about his inability to get his voice to it's normal level as he spoke "Nagini shouldn't be fed this tainted blood my lord," Severus was amazed his voice was calm and he could look Voldemort in the eye "she deserves better."

No one else in the room dared to speak as they watched Lord Voldemort stare back at Severus completely silent. But the cackling fire that had been the only source of light in the room was caught in red strands of hair and Voldemort was relieved to find answers to his confusion. He remembered each person that had fallen for his own wand, especially the ones he had been asked to spare.

"You're right, Snape." Lord Voldemort spoke calmly, his red eyes still focused on Severus who might've noticed, if he hadn't been busy collecting Charity's body into his arms, the shadow of a cruel, gruesome smile twisting the Dark Lords features. _Oh yes, Snape would pay him back at some point, he would make sure of it. _

He would spare Severus for any punishment of his insolence right now, but keep in mind Severus owed him a great sacrifice. _When the time is right. _

0o0

Severus walked aimlessly into the large garden of the Malfoy Manor, Charity's body still in his arms. Not until he stumbled upon lilies carefully planted did he put Charity down in the soft grass and flick his wand so a grave dug itself before his eyes.

When it was finished Severus carefully placed Charity in the grave, letting her red strands of hair fall through his fingers again and again until finally he plucked one of the lilies and put it on her chest.

His love hadn't died with Lily and it certainly wasn't going to with Charity, but now Severus could bury his feelings and realize they were never meant to be.

**A/N: **The end. I hope all of my readers liked the ending and are not going to kill me for taking so long to update. Or worse not review! I tried not to take too much from DH at the last scene. Please do feed me reviews, starving is no fun.

**X X X LolaCherryColaGirl**


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